Starbucks Mints

06Oct

After a movie date of watching Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole with my favorite kids, Milan and Audrey, (by the way, you got to watch it too. I might watch it again soon) we passed by Starbucks to get Milan her request of hot coco and also to buy a drink to her mommy. I usually check out those stuff at their counter. Saw the usuals: lollipops, waffles, some CDs, Starbucks keychains and mints. When I took a second look, I found a couple of tin cans that are quite new to me.

Starbucks Mints Packaging 2010 (Peppermint)

I bought it for Php120.00. I expected it to be priced more or less that way because of the “premium” packaging. And yes, I have to admit I bought for the packaging. Mints will be mints for me. But since I’m a sucker for packaging what more for a tin can container that I can use someday for a business card container (that was what I had in mind while I’m buying it, my “what to use this for after” thoughts) I paid for it.

They are still selling their old mints and gums in those tube tin cans with the flipping top cover. I also searched over the net to look for older mint tin cans of Starbucks that I remember. Found some photos too as references.

Notice that the design for the gums and mint are almost the same. Until now I’m still getting confused which is the gum and which is the mints. But that’s just me. The difference is only the structure of the tin can: rectangular-squarish for the mints and the tube-like shape for the gums. Perhaps that’s one reason why Starbucks redesigned their mint packaging.

Another thought that came to me also is my old blog entry about another brand of mint: ORAL FIXATION. (Click here for that entry) I remember buying a couple of those for one of our old project of mints before for a packaging and sample study. I kept one of it’s packaging for “future” use (ok fine. It could have been my [old] business card holder thought too). To compare:

Compared to Oral Fixation, in the Starbuck branch that I went to, they only have 2 cans left with just one kind of mint which is peppermint. Oral Fixation has a variety of flavors although lately I haven’t seen them in possible key stores like 7-11 or gas stations where mints are usually available. I’m not quite sure if they are still available somewhere out there. Because of their premium price, I guess they have to find a location to sell where people with money will go or like me, suckers for packaging :p

Oral Fixation Antioximints: Green Tea Mints

Above is Oral Fixation “Antioximints” (Green Tea Mints) has a wax or parchment paper placed inside the sliding tin can, on top of the mints. Printed on it is a old Chinese man (old = wise) with a description about tea.

Compared to Starbucks which the mint compartment slides open sideways to the right, Oral Fixation cans’ compartments slides open at the bottom. But it doesn’t lock. Wrong grip or pull from where you keep it, it might accidentally slip off and all mints will be all over the place😦 I think Starbucks solved it with the side opening and the secure-locking trick whether opened or closed.

Too bad I wasn’t able to take a photo of how Starbucks mints are displayed. It’s this angled black wooden sort of pigeon hole thing. I hardly noticed the mints actually not until I made that second pass on that pigeon hole like box while waiting for my change. But if you’re frequent coffee drinker and visits Starbucks that often you know what I mean.

Oh! For the taste, it’s peppermint. Strong one. Guess a mint or two of it is enough for you to remove that coffee after-taste. It’s sugar-free and used sorbitol as sugar substitute. You can read the information of that sugar substitute here.

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One response to “Starbucks Mints”

christine

March 25, 2011 at 11:27 am

Great blog on mint tins. I am looking for something nice to hold my RFID chipped cards and thought I found the perfect tin with the Disney WICKED Evil Apple Mints candy that they are selling in the Disney stores inside the resort hotels at Disney World Florida. The Starbucks mint tin looks more elegant and trim.